A Decision Unregretted
by Jewel08
Summary: If given a choice, Zeref would always put his little brother first. He'd lost so many people, he couldn't lose Natsu too. (Or where Zeref is not what he seems and events are changed because of it.) After all, Dragneels will always change the world.


**AN: I'm having a block with my other stories, so I wanted to start something new. I've been reading Zeref and Natsu brotherhood stories, especially ones where E.N.D is released and what would happen afterwards, so I want to do one of my own, while simultaneously involving Harry Potter in it. But don't worry, the Harry Potter parts will be light and only mentioned.**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter One

The Black Wizard Zeref dipped his writing utensil in the inkwell sitting on his desk, the soft _scritch_ of the sharpened point lulling him into a strange sense of calm as he wrote. A lock of black hair fell in front of his face before Zeref pushed it back into place. His lips twitched upwards for a moment before his look of concentration returned.

He was recording everything that had happened in his life, from his childhood to the present day, but in a language unknown to Earthland. In fact, only his little brother Natsu could read, write, and speak it besides himself. If Ankhseram's ploy worked and he was killed, Zeref wanted to write down the true events that had happened and the reasons behind those actions for Natsu, so he could understand.

As the damnable words were scrawled across the parchment, Zeref gave a bitter little smile. Things had always gone down the worse path when he was the Boy-Who-Lived; as the darkest and most "evil" mage in Earthland, that hadn't gotten better.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Well, okay, that wasn't totally true. Formerly known as Harry Potter, his new name was Zeref Dragneel, an usual name but he hadn't complained. His parents were wonderful people, that much he could remember after 400 years, even after their names had faded away. His father had been a powerful mage in the Silver Dragon guild, whose guildhall had been located in their town.

But when his mother, a very gifted Healer, became pregnant when Zeref was four, his entire life focus changed completely.

His little brother was named Natsu, after the season he was born in, and Zeref vowed to protect his new little brother as long as he lived. Their neighbors often remarked on the bond between the two brothers with awed voices; Natsu adored his nii-san and completely trusted him, while Zeref was fiercely protective and doted on his sibling. There was nothing he wouldn't do for Natsu. Their parents smiled and let the two spend their time together.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Zeref lounged beneath a tree with some flowers in his lap, weaving them together into a flower necklace for Natsu. It was such a nice day that the youngest Dragneel had convinced his nii-san to play with him instead of studying for school. (And Natsu _may_ have broken out the puppy-dog eyes and brought up the fact it was his birthday to convince his older brother.)

"Zewef! Zewef, Zewef, Zewef!"

"Natsu, over here!" the black-haired child called. A wild mop of pink hair rushed over the small hill and Natsu gleefully jumped into his brother's arms. Zeref caught him and skillfully settled the necklace on Natsu at the same time.

"Zewef, lookie!"

Natsu held out his birthday present to his brother, who smiled and ruffled his hair. "What's his name, otouto?"

"Iggy!" Natsu squeaked happily, happiness shining in his onyx eyes. "He's a nice dwagon who bweathes fiwe and ewewything!"

Zeref couldn't handle the overdose of adorableness that was his brother and hugged him tightly, the toy dragon Iggy squashed in between them. Natsu giggled and laughed, knowing that his older brother deeply loved him. He was safe with his brother.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Of course, reality eventually decided to intrude, dealing the small family a devastating blow: real-life dragons, ones that hated humans, attacked their town and turned it to ash. Zeref was the only survivor: their father had been gored to death, their mother eaten, and Natsu... Natsu had tried to escape, tried to find his nii-san, and suffocated from the smoke.

Zeref trudged through the blackened remains of their home and slowly knealt by his brother's side. Fingers shaking like a leaf in a high wind, he brushed Natsu's pink hair (dusted with ash) out of his face. Natsu's skin was dark with soot, tear tracks shown clearly on his young face. And in the little boy's tiny hands was a worn red dragon toy. Zeref clutched his little brother's body in his arms and let out a single, chilling _shriek_ of loss and devastation, kneeling in the burning remnants of their childhood.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

That was what started Zeref Dragneel on his goal of bringing his little brother back to life. That moment was the birth of the Black Wizard.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Ankhseram was one vengeful bastard, Zeref decided, and a filthy hypocrite. Of course, Ankhseram's Curse of Contradiction couldn't fully affect one of Death itself's Chosen, so he had one up on the "god" already. The random waves of death were worrisome, but Zeref now had the time to research ways to perhaps lessen its effects. He wasn't worried about the immortality; it meant more time to find out how to revive Natsu and do it _safely_.

"That guy a god," Zeref scoffed. "If that's true, then Fawkes was just a bloody strange chicken. The whole planet could get destroyed and that pompous git wouldn't give a damn."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Zeref looked up in awe and a sense of childish wonderat the majestic dragon before him, basket of healing herbs and cooking ingredients forgotten at his feet. He'd never expected to meet a dragon while picking herbs of all things!

"Who are you, human?" The dragon's voice was rough but held no hint or sign of hate and anger towards humans, so Zeref trusted his instincts (that sounded suspiciously like his reckless little brother) that said this dragon could be trusted.

"My name is Zeref Dragneel," Zeref said, giving a respectful bow.

"I am Igneel, the Fire Dragon King," Igneel stated proudly, drawing himself up to his full height and flaring his wings a little bit. Zeref's jaw dropped as he remembered Natsu's voice saying, _"Iggy... a nice dwagon who bweathes fiwe..."_ How in the world did Natsu...?

"I-I'm honored to meet you, Igneel," Zeref stammered, feeling quite unbalanced. The dragon chuckled, settling back on all fours.

"Are you perhaps related to the little boy named Natsu?" Igneel asked. "I haven't seen or heard anything of the lad in many years, and I must admit I'm getting concerned."

Zeref looked down, tears stinging at his eyes. "Natsu was my little brother," his whispered. "He and our parents, our entire town, were killed and destroyed by dragons years ago."

Igneel reared back, eyes shocked and dismayed. Zeref and the Fire Dragon King stood in silence for a few minutes until Zeref finally spoke. "How did you meet Natsu? Dragons usually avoid humans, don't they?"

"Those of us that are peaceful, yes," Igneel nodded. "The lad was wandering through the forest I was passing through, and as soon as he saw me, his eyes lit ran up without any fear and introduced himself as Natsu Dragneel." Igneel gave a rumbling laugh. "I have never seen someone so unafraid of dragons before."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

That was how Zeref met Igneel and gained his friendship. The two became close, close enough that Zeref revealed his hopes on reviving Natsu.

"I refuse to believe it isn't possible," Zeref said firmly. "Ankhseram may have placeds that curse on me, but it will not affect my goal."

Igneel gazed at the Black Wizard very seriously. "But there's always a price to this type of magic, Zeref, and your immortality may be just the beginning."

Zeref shrugged. "Then so be it; I will gladly pay if it means Natsu can have this chance at life. A chance that was taken away from him too young."

"...You Dragneels are so stubborn," Igneel said in exasperated fondness. "Since you are so determined and I can see nothing will be able to change your mind, I can at least introduce you to a good friend of mine..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The good friend of Igneel's turned out to be the Sky Dragon Grandeeney, who was proclaimed as the most powerful and gifted Healer in the land. Zeref remembered their mother often talking about the feats the Sky Dragon managed to do, the amount of people the gentle Dragon had saved.

"Where is the boy's body?" Grandeeney asked gently. "Was it buried?"

"No," Zeref said. "I preserved it, in a specially-grown lacrima. Mother and Father... their bodies were either too badly damaged or gone entirely. Natsu was, in fact, the only one left intact in the whole village."

He led Igneel and Grandeeney to where he'd kept the lacrima all these years, and both dragons were stunned silent at what they saw. The pink-haired boy seemed so _small_. Zeref gave a soft, sorrowful smile and laid a hand on the shell-like surface. "I'm so sorry, Natsu..." he whispered. "I couldn't save Mother or Father... I couldn't save you. I failed as your brother when I swore to protect you. But I will give anything to see you smile again, to see just how strong you'll be." Zeref laid his head on the lacrima, like he was trying to lay his forehead against his brother's.

"You're quite the genius, Zeref," Grandeeney said, examining Natsu's body as best she could from outside the lacrima. "It seems that nothing has deteriorated, even his inner organs."

Igneel looked sorrowfully at the little boy who had been so full of life, so innocent, so unafraid of the powerful Fire Dragon King. He'd grown fond of Natsu, even knowing him so short a time, and knowing that he, for all his might, could not not help was torture. Everything was up to Zeref.

"How are you planning on resurrecting Natsu?" Igneel asked, looking away from the lacrima and Natsu's unmoving form. Zeref turned to the two dragons with a gleam of of excitement in his eyes and said, "I have a couple new ideas, thanks to the two of you."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

That was what led to the creation of the Etherious demons, made from the Books of Zeref. They were extraordinarily powerful, more so than even the strongest Mages. (Except, of course, their creator.)

And finally, now that he _knew_ this would work, Zeref was going to bring Natsu back to life. This required more effort and thought than any other feat of magic ever done before (or since).

Zeref laid Natsu's body gently on the floor, in the middle of the magic circle he'd drawn. He sliced his palm, and the crimson drops of blood dropped on the stone floor around his little brother. The magic circle flared to life, nearly blinding the Black Wizard. He began murmuring in the ancient language of the dragons, wind and pure Magic swirling around them. As the chant continued, the sheer pressure given off by the Magic increased until Zeref felt his breath coming in quick, shallow pants.

Zeref shouted one final word and slammed his hands together; everything went completely silent, the wind and Magic disappearing until it seemed they hadn't been there at all, and Zeref fell to his knees. He tried to regain his breath, until he heard the faintest shuffling noises. Zeref looked over, hardly daring to hope, and he saw it! Natsu moved!

"Natsu!" Zeref whispered, eyes shining with slim hope.

"Z... Zeref-nii..."

With a short cry, Zeref immediately went to his little brother's side. Natsu's onyx eyes slowly focused on Zeref, who felt tears running down his face and falling to the ground for the first time since that terrible day. He gently picked Natsu up and held him close, so glad that his little brother, _his light_ , was alive.

"Zeref-nii...?"

"Yes, Natsu."

The Black Wizard clutched Natsu tighter, smiling and crying at the same time. _After losing both sets of parents, losing Sirius, and losing Natsu, everyone I ever loved, I never thought I'd ever be so happy. But my otouto is alive!_


End file.
